Phenolic compounds are non-essential dietary compounds that are found in many vegetables (i.e. onion, cabbage, broccoli and parsley), fruits (i.e. cherries, grapes, berries and pears), cereals and ...beverages (i.e. red wine, tea and chocolate). These heterogeneous compounds are produced as secondary metabolites. Structurally, these compounds are characterized by comprising an aromatic ring with one or more hydroxyl groups that can be classified into two groups: flavonoids and non-flavonoids. Phenolic compounds have received considerable attention for its health-promoting properties in many chronic disorders including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, among others. These health benefits are mainly attributed to its antioxidant properties. Phenolic compounds act as antioxidant by scavenging free radicals, metal chelation and endogenous antioxidant system upregulation (enzymatic antioxidants such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as glutathione).The consumption of exogenous medicinal plants and food rich in phenolic compounds represent a promising therapeutically to prevent many chronic diseases and improve health.This Special Issue entitled “Effect of Phenolic Compounds on Human Health” include research articles and review articles on phenolic compounds and its role in health (i.e. flavonoids and diabetes, polyphenols and liver diseases, polyphenols and obesity, polyphenols and cardiovascular diseases and polyphenols and neuroprotection).
Most of the known pharmacological effects of
Panax ginseng on the central nervous system are due to its major components – ginsenosides. Although the antioxidant ability of ginseng root has already ...been established, this activity has never been evaluated for isolated ginsenosides on astrocytes. The activity of protopanaxadiols Rb
1, Rb
2, Rc and Rd, and protopanaxatriols Re and Rg
1 was evaluated in vitro on astrocytes primary culture by means of an oxidative stress model with H
2O
2. The viability of astrocytes was determined by the MTT reduction assay and by the LDH release into the incubation medium. The effects on the antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidases (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) and on the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation were also investigated. Exposure of astrocytes to H
2O
2 decreased cell viability as well as the antioxidant enzymes activity and increased ROS formation. Oxidative stress produced significant cell death that was reduced by previous treatment with the tested ginsenosides. Ginsenosides Rb
1, Rb
2, Re and Rg
1 were effective in reducing astrocytic death, while Rb
1, Rb
2, Rd, Re and Rg
1 decreased ROS formation, ginsenoside Re being the most active. Ginsenosides from
P. ginseng induce neuroprotection mainly through activation of antioxidant enzymes.
Valeriana officinalis L. (Caprifoliaceae) has been traditionally used to treat mild nervous tension and sleep problems. The basis of these activities are mainly attributed to valerenic acid through ...the modulation of the GABA receptor. Moreover, V. officinalis is claimed to have other biological activities such as cardiovascular benefits, anticancer, antimicrobial and spasmolytic. The current review aims to update the biological and pharmacological studies (in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials) of V. officinalis and its major secondary metabolites in order to guide future research. Databases PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus were used for literature search including original papers written in English and published between 2014 and 2020. There have been identified 33 articles which met inclusion criteria. Most of these works were performed with V. officinalis extracts and only a few papers (in vitro and in vivo studies) evaluated the activity of isolated compounds (valerenic acid and volvalerenal acid K). In vitro studies focused on studying antioxidant and neuroprotective activity. In vivo studies and clinical trials mainly investigated activities on the nervous system (anticonvulsant activity, antidepressant, cognitive problems, anxiety and sleep disorders). Just few studies were focused on other different activities, highlight effects on symptoms of premenstrual and postmenopausal syndromes. Valeriana officinalis continues to be one of the medicinal plants most used by today's society for its therapeutic properties and whose biological and pharmacological activities continue to arouse great scientific interest as evidenced in recent publications. This review shows scientific evidence on traditional uses of V. officinalis on nervous system.
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